encoded notions

Another year gone. Another year closer to something else.

We’re so concerned about what happens next. Where will we live? What will we do? Will we be successful? How long will it take? Who will we talk to? Who will we live with? What will we eat? Will, will, will.

What about now?

Where are we living? What are we doing? Are we successful? Who do we talk to? Who do we live with? What do we eat? Now, here, this place, this time.

This is what matters.

Where we are going is also important, but perhaps not as important as where we are right now. Position over direction. If you live for the moment, then you surrender your goals. If you live for the future, then you surrender contentment. A balance is required, and preferably one with leaves you with less worry and more fun.

Another year gone. Another year closer to Something Else.

When the year rolls over, does anything happen? Millions of computers register the change, but does Nature care what year it is by some human convention? Your watch reads a different time, but does your mind feel any different? 2004 vs. 2005. A difference of one.

History books work on collapsing timelines. Condensing events. Smoothing over the details and figuring out what was important; what were the trends? The importance of an event relies upon its outcome: plans and goals mean nothing if they result in no net effect. The events of 2004 will probably be summed up in a few lines of text in some textbook in the near future. Millions of individual decisions are made, and from that collective motion humanity gains a direction.

2004: Collapse, condense, extract, done, move on.

Next please.